Chapter Nine: Epilogue

Monday Craig slept in. Joey called the school to tell them he would be late and then called an attorney, scheduling an appointment for the end of the week. During a mid-day breakfast they had a long talk, and after Joey gave him a ride into school.
As Craig was walking through the front doors he spotted Ashley, sitting alone on a nearby bench. She was reading a well-worn play and didn't see him come in. Smiling to himself, he walked over and took the seat next to her. She looked up in surprise.
"Hey Craig. You're late." She spoke, smiling over at his carefree grin.
"Yep. Overslept." He told her, grabbing the book away. "Death of a Salesman?"
"Yeah, it's part of an assignment for MI you and Chlo missed on Friday. I'll help you catch up if you want." She offered, taking the book back. There was a brief silence before Ashley finally spoke. "So. I know it's none of my business, but how are things with you?"
"They're good, Ash. A lot better than they have been in a long time." He replied, glancing up at the tiled ceiling thoughtfully. Ashley smiled widely.
"Well, if you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here for you. Anytime." She told him, and he nodded.
"I know. Thanks."